Training Volume Affects Testosterone

The amount of testosterone flowing around an athlete’s body governs their potential to build muscle and strength. While resistance training is know to trigger a significant increase in circulating testosterone concentrations, some studies show that the volume of resistance training an athlete performs each day has a direct effect on the concentration of testosterone in circulation. One recent study looked at the effects of volume on circulating testosterone concentrations after the workout and revealed that excessive volume performed during training may significantly reduce testosterone concentrations.

In this study, three groups of men provided blood samples for testosterone analysis; the first groups did not exercise, the second group performed a total of 25 sets of various exercises including bench presses, squats, curls and pull downs etc. The third group performed a total of 50 sets of the same exercises. Results showed that the high volume group showed a marked suppression of testosterone over the 24 hours after training. The scientists concluded that high volume training suppresses testosterone output over a 24 hour period.

However, even 25 working sets in one workout is excessive. Other studies have shown testosterone levels peak 10-15 minutes into a workout. The concentration of testosterone is proportional to intensity not duration or the amount of sets in a workout. Smart bodybuilders use a low-volume but high-intensity approach such as Max-OT to stimulate natural testosterone increases that develop rapid muscle gains.